Strong police presence planned for FA Cup final unlikely to be enhanced following Manchester terror attack
Security arrangements are unlikely to be enhanced for Saturday’s FA Cup Final following the terror attack in Manchester on Monday.
22 people were killed by a suicide bomb attack at an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena.
A large police operation was already planned for the match between Arsenal and Chelsea - which is unlikely to be enhanced in the wake of Monday night’s events.
The potential terror threat to an iconic location in London, coupled with large number of people in one place and the potential for disorder, means security will be tight.
London has remained on high alert following the terror attack in Westminster in March.
There have been more visible police officers in London and the attack in Manchester does not change the threat to the capital.
The FA Cup Final between two London teams is a Category C high-risk fixture given the potential for trouble.
The Metropolitan Police will release a statement later this week ahead of the match but their operation is unlikely to change in the wake of last night.
Manchester United will face Ajax in the Europa League Final on Wednesday, and Uefa have confirmed that ‘tight security’ arrangements will be in place.
In a statement released on the Uefa’s official website, the European governing body moved quickly to calm fans ahead of the Final – insisting that ‘tight security’ arrangements have been in place ‘since the very beginning of the project’.
